Early Childhood Education Academy

The Early Childhood Education Academy gives you the chance to take general education classes toward your degree in early childhood education and earn college credit before you graduate from high school! You can take courses in education, child health, safety and nutrition, growth and development, and infant and toddler care.

Early Childhood Education Academy Courses

Gives students a historical and philosophical foundation of the field of early childhood education. Includes an overview of assessment and trends that influence best practices. Explores careers in the field. Addresses influences of families and diversity.

This course provides an introduction to the study of behavior and mental processes with emphasis in such areas as learning, cognition, motivation, personality, behavioral disorder, therapy, and social influence. An understanding of the impact of both theoretical perspectives and experimental evidence on the formulation of the science of human behavior is also stressed. Psychological theories and principles are utilized to explain and predict behavior.

This course surveys the basic principles, concepts, and research findings of social life from small groups to societies. The course examines a range of sociological explanations for the various forms of social behaviors and establishes a basis for reflection and further study in the field.

Focuses on current concepts in the fields of health, safety and nutrition and their relationship to the growth and development of the young child ages birth to eight. Blends current theory with practical applications and assessments. Includes the influences of families and diversity on health, safety, and nutrition in early childhood settings.

Composition I emphasizes fluency, thesis-driven organization, the use of supporting details, and research techniques. Writing is approached as a recursive process that includes prewriting strategies, drafting, revising, and editing. The course helps students shape writing to serve readers' needs and define a sense of purpose in their writing. It also gives students strategies for reading college-level material.

Focuses on the development, implementation and assessment of appropriate environments and curricula for young children ages three through eight. Students prepare to utilize developmentally appropriate practices in a context of family and culturally sensitive care. Emphasis is on understanding children's development stages and developing appropriate learning opportunities, interactions and environments in the following areas: dramatic play, art, music, fine and gross motor play.

Focuses on effective approaches and positive guidance strategies for supporting the development of all children. Emphasizes supportive interactions and developmentally appropriate environments. Uses assessment to analyze and guide behaviors. Studies impact of families and diversity on child guidance.

Western Civilization I traces the development of Western Civilization from prehistory to 1300 C.E., the end of the High Middle Ages. The role of the Humanities is emphasized. The course explores major political, social, economic, scientific, intellectual, cultural, and religious developments contributing to Western societies. These include the significant events and contributions of early Middle Eastern civilizations, classical and Hellenistic Greece, the Roman Empire, its successors, the rise of the Western Christian church, and Medieval Europe.

This course presents elements of the oral communications process with emphasis on developing interpersonal, small group, and public speaking skills. Students will be involved in activities that provide opportunity for the understanding and improvement of their oral communication skills.